Grays Harbor County adjourned the 169th County Commission with a special meeting on Monday.

The three-member Grays Harbor County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve interlocal agreements for emergency management services for the cities of Oakville, Cosmopolis and McCleary.

These interlocal agreements “provide an economical mechanism to provide for the common defense and protect the public peace, health and safety and to preserve the lives and property of the people of the signatory jurisdictions against the existing and increasing possibility of the occurrence of major emergencies or disasters, either man-made or from natural causes.”

Through each of these agreements, the County has committed to preparedness and prevention support including training and community outreach, mitigation, response and recovery support. In turn, each municipality will appoint a director for their emergency management organization, participate and coordinate with the County during response activities and provide a representative or liaison as required during emergencies.

These three agreements bring the total number to six out of nine possible cities in Grays Harbor County — Cosmopolis, Elma, McLeary, Montesano, Oakville and Ocean Shores.

According to Hannah Cleverly, deputy director of emergency management for Grays Harbor County, Westport is “in-work,” and Hoquiam and Aberdeen have declined to participate.

During the meeting, District No. 3 Commissioner Raines said that she was working with Hoquiam and acknowledged “some additional work needs to be done.” Cleverly was to meet with Aberdeen’s fire chief Monday afternoon.

“Right now, for the city of Aberdeen and the city of Hoquiam their emergency management functions fall upon the fire department,” Cleverly said during the meeting. “Unfortunately for Fire Chief Matt Miller of Hoquiam, the city has designated that he is to do this job in addition to his fire department duties. As for the city of Aberdeen. It falls on the fire chief, so Chief (Dave) Golding, and as kind of a backup, they have deputy chief of police, (Lieutenant) Andy Snodgrass. And both have full-time police and fire jobs as well.”

Raines took a moment to “thank Hannah Cleverly for all the work she has done on this. It’s taken a lot to meet with all these local jurisdictions and get their buy-in to support our countywide emergency management services, so I appreciate the due diligence and the work she’s done to bring the cities together.”

The complete special county commissioners meeting agenda and agenda packet can be found here: https://pav.co.grays-harbor.wa.us/onbaseagendaonline/.

Guardrail repairs

The fourth agenda item involved the approval of a contract with Frank Gurney, Inc., a Spokane-based general contractor, for “guardrail repairs at seven (7) locations within the County. Currently there are guardrail repairs or replacement along East Satsop Road, Elma McCleary Road, Blue Slough Road, Wishkah Road, South Shore Road and Old State 9 Road.”

The next, and first of the new year, regular Board of Commissioners meeting is set for Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 10 a.m.